Pale Rider (1985)

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Michael Butler (written by) &
Dennis Shryack (written by)

Release Date:

28 June 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

Hell comes home

Plot:

A mysterious preacher protects a humble prospector village from a greedy mining company trying to encroach on their land.

Plot Keywords:

Preacher | Gold | Miner | Sheriff | Grave

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Preacher
Michael Moriarty	...	Hull Barret
Carrie Snodgress	...	Sarah Wheeler
Chris Penn	...	Josh LaHood (as Christopher Penn)
Richard Dysart	...	Coy LaHood
Sydney Penny	...	Megan Wheeler
Richard Kiel	...	Club
Doug McGrath	...	Spider Conway
John Russell	...	Stockburn
Charles Hallahan	...	McGill
Marvin J. McIntyre	...	Jagou
Fran Ryan	...	Ma Blankenship
Richard Hamilton	...	Jed Blankenship
Graham Paul	...	Ev Gossage
Chuck Lafont	...	Eddie Conway (as Chuck LaFont)
Jeffrey Weissman	...	Teddy Conway
Allen Keller	...	Tyson
Randy Oglesby	...	Elam (as Tom Oglesby)
Herman Poppe	...	Ulrik Lindquist
Kathleen Wygle	...	Bess Gossage
Terrence Evans	...	Jake Henderson
Jim Hitson	...	Biggs
Loren Adkins	...	Bossy
Thomas H. Friedkin	...	Miner Tom (as Tom Friedkin)
S.A. Griffin	...	Deputy Folke
Jack Radosta	...	Deputy Grissom
Robert Winley	...	Deputy Kobold
Billy Drago	...	Deputy Mather
Jeffrey Josephson	...	Deputy Sedge
John Dennis Johnston	...	Deputy Tucker
Michael Adams	...	Horseman (as Mike Adams)
Clay M. Lilley	...	Horseman (as Clay Lilley)
Gene Hartline	...	Horseman
R.L. Tolbert	...	Horseman
Clifford Happy	...	Horseman (as Cliff Happy)
Ross Loney	...	Horseman
Larry Randles	...	Horseman
Mike H. McGaughy	...	Horseman (as Mike McGaughy)
Jerry Gatlin	...	Horseman (as Gerry Gatlin)
Lloyd Nelson	...	Bank Teller
Jay K. Fishburn	...	Telegrapher
George Orrison	...	Stationmaster Whitey
Milton Murrill	...	Porter
Mike Munsey	...	Dentist / Barber
Keith Dillin	...	Blacksmith
Buddy Van Horn	...	Stage Driver (as Wayne Van Horn)
Fritz Manes	...	Stage Rider
Glenn Wright	...	Stage Rider

Directed by
Clint Eastwood

Writing credits
Michael Butler		(written by) &
Dennis Shryack		(written by)

Produced by
Clint Eastwood	....	producer
Fritz Manes	....	executive producer
David Valdes	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Lennie Niehaus

Cinematography by
Bruce Surtees		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Joel Cox

Production Design by
Edward C. Carfagno		(as Edward Carfagno)

Set Decoration by
Ernie Bishop

Makeup Department
Kathryn Blondell	....	hair stylist
Barbara Guedel	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Fritz Manes	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Matt Earl Beesley	....	second assistant director
L. Dean Jones Jr.	....	second assistant director
David Valdes	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Edward Aiona	....	property master (as Eddie Aiona)
Airick Kredell	....	lead man
Bob Lawless	....	stand-by painter
Michael Muscarella	....	construction coordinator
Robert E. Sessa	....	set designer (as Bob Sessa)
Jay Newington	....	set dresser: Sonora (uncredited)
Scott Nifong	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Donald L. Bolger	....	cable man
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert G. Henderson	....	supervising sound effects editor (as Bob Henderson)
C. Darin Knight	....	sound mixer
Alan Robert Murray	....	supervising sound effects editor
Vern Poore	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jules Strasser	....	boom man
Brooke Henderson Ward	....	assistant sound editor (as Brooke Henderson)

Special Effects by
Chuck Gaspar	....	special effects
Jeffrey A. Wischnack	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Kerrie Cullen	....	stunts
Tom Ellison	....	stunts
Bob Herron	....	stunts
Leroy Hershkowitz	....	stunts
Walt La Rue	....	stunts
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt coordinator (as Wayne Van Horn)
James Winburn	....	stunts (as Jim Winburn)
Diamond Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gene Hartline	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Orrison	....	stunt double: Clint Eastwood (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ed Ayer	....	best boy
Kirk Bales	....	dolly grip (as Kirk E. Bales)
Brad Edmiston	....	camera assistant
Buzz Feitshans IV	....	camera assistant
Jack N. Green	....	camera operator (as Jack Green)
Leo J. Napolitano	....	additional camera operator (as Leo Napolitano)
Marcia Reed	....	still photographer
Charles Saldana	....	key grip
Bruce D. Spellman	....	second grip (as Bruce Spellman)
Stephen St. John	....	additional camera operator
Baird Steptoe	....	camera assistant
Tom Stern	....	gaffer
Tama Takahashi	....	camera assistant
Mike Thomas	....	camera assistant
Bill Young	....	dolly grip (as William C. Young)
Víctor Pérez	....	lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Phyllis Huffman	....	casting executive
Christopher Gorman	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Darryl M. Athons	....	wardrobe: men (as Darryl Athons)
Deborah Hopper	....	wardrobe: women (as Deborah Ann Hopper)
Glenn Wright	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Jack Garsha	....	color timer
John Morrisey	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Donald Harris	....	music editor
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Keith Dillin	....	transportation captain
H. William Miller	....	transportation coordinator (as Bill Miller)

Other crew
Marco Barla	....	unit publicist
Paul A. Calabria	....	animal handler (as Paul Calabria)
Jay K. Fishburn	....	wrangler
Judie Hoyt	....	assistant to producers
Linda Sony Kinney	....	production secretary
Michael Maurer	....	assistant to producers
Michael Maurer	....	auditor
Bill McCamby	....	first aid
Karin McElhatton	....	animal handler (as Karin Dew)
Lloyd Nelson	....	script supervisor
Jim Porter	....	first aid
Elise Ganz	....	studio teacher (uncredited)
Bill McCamey	....	first aid nurse (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Malpaso Company, The

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1985) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1985) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1985) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1985) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1985) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1985) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Warner Home Video (1986) (West Germany) (VHS)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1988) (USA) (TV)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1992) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1997) (1998) (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrews (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Finland) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Warner Bros. (2000) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Canada) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Donah Bassett and Associates  negative cutting
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex® Cameras by
• Technicolor  color
• The Caterers Inc.  catering

Also Known As:

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1985) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Netherlands:AL | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:16 | Spain:13 | Argentina:16 | France:Unrated | Brazil:16 | Peru:PT | New Zealand:PG | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Columbia State Historic Park - 22708 Broadway, Columbia, California, USA

Company:

Malpaso Company, The

Trivia:

Unlike his earlier films, Clint Eastwood first selected the film's theme and then commissioned a screenplay to be written.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the Preacher shoots Stockburn at the end of the movie the camera angle shows his back and you can see the bullet holes on the left side of his coat, when Stockburn is shown from the front the bullet holes are on the right side of his coat.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Megan Wheeler:Lindsey.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Perfect Storm (2000)

"Tell the preacher to meet me here tomorrow morning."

Shot on location in Sun Valley, Idaho, and to some esteem to "Shane," "Pale Rider" succeeded with sweeping landscapes and magnificent cinematography, to be an interesting Western that helps to bring back something from Eastwood's mystique…

In 1850 California, a small group squatters and their families find themselves terrorized by Coy LaHood (Richard Dysart), who are standing win the way of his progress… Desperate, LaHood begins using violence in an unsuccessful attempt to run the peaceful yet determined homesteaders from their land… Leading the homesteaders is a decent man Hull Barret (Michael Moriarty), who dreams of a better life for himself, his girlfriend Sarah Wheeler (Carrie Snodgress) and her lovely daughter from a previous marriage, 14-year-old Meagan (Sydney Penny).

Into the lives of these strong-willed people rides a mysterious man—tall and lean with something strange in his eyes —known only as "The Preacher" (Clint Eastwood). He says little, divulges nothing of his past, but for a man wearing a clerical collar he seems an expert at handling weapons… He pulls the miners together and gives them the confidence to defy LaHood even in the face of mounting violence...

Although both Sarah and her daughter become enamored of the pale preacher, he gently rejects their advances and makes them see that Hull is a less capable but far better man… There is a good scene when Spider Conway—went into town alone and running out of steam—invited LaHood to come out and have a drink with him… But instead Stockburn and his deputies came out asking him to dance…

Richard Dysart creates an all-too-believable villain, and Western veteran John Russell is well-cast as a middle-aged mercenary and his hired guns to face a legendary hero… It's an old score and it's time settle it…